LGBT History Month helps us challenge prejudice

There are plenty of resources available for activists to use during LGBT History Month

February is LGBT History Month – a chance to celebrate LGBT lives and culture in order to challenge prejudice and build equality.

This year sees the 30th anniversary of the UK government passing Section 28, the notorious piece of legislation that prohibited local authorities from “promoting homosexuality” in schools.

It left teachers unable to help distressed young people – and not even knowing whether they could mention Oscar Wilde.

Section 28 had no legal effect in itself, but what it did have was a chilling effect, creating confusion and uncertainly and playing into the hands of those who opposed lesbian and gay equality. There were lots of successful campaigns overruling attempts to block lesbian and gay information and education.

Forty years ago Harvey Milk, the first out gay councillor in the USA, was murdered. On a brighter note, the rainbow flag is also 40 years old, while Sarah Walter’s lesbian classic, Tipping the Velvet, is 20.

This year’s theme for history month is Geography: Mapping the world.

If those anniversaries provide us with a snapshot of progress in a short time, then there is no shortage of information around to remind us that, while equality is spreading – from marriage to adoption and much more – there are also large parts of our world where LGBT people live in fear.

Being LGBT is criminalised in 72 states, In eight of those, it is punishable by death.

There are plenty of resources to help you start a conversation this month.

On LGBT global equality, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association publishes a series of maps showing sexual orientation laws around the world.

Related events

Presentation at the national Black members’ conference in Llandudno 2019

The award will be presented to someone who has supported and ‘gone above and beyond to represent Black members’ celebrating their achievements, courage and determination within the union and more widely in our society. The award winner will be invited to attend the next Black member’s conference as a guest of the national committee where […]